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Pumpkin and Salted Caramel Macarons

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Update 11/12/10: I’m submitting this blog post to MacTweets MacAttack #13. The theme for this challenge is Fall macarons. Check out everyone’s fall inspired macarons on November 30th at MacTweets!

Of all the macarons I’ve made, the pumpkin macarons have been the biggest hit with my friends. So I’m even thinking about making them for thanksgiving. They are like pumpkin pie in macaron form.

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Fall is here, the trees are turning into beautiful shades of golden-yellow, orange, and brown. Right now I want to make anything and everything with pumpkin. I’ve been running around like a crazy person, buying as many cans of pumpkin as I can carry because I’m afraid that a few weeks from now they will be out of stock once again. Call me paranoid. I think I now have enough pumpkin to last me until way after thanksgiving. I thought that pumpkin would be the perfect fall flavor for a macaron: spiced pumpkin folded into white chocolate and then whipped until soft and airy. And since macarons are better in sets of two, I also made salted caramel macarons to keep the pumpkin macarons company.

What is your favorite pumpkin dessert? Any recipes you can recommend? I’m thinking about making a pumpkin cheesecake next.

Ingredients:
Shells
• 300g almond meal
• 300g powdered sugar
• 110g egg whites
PLUS
• 300g granulated sugar
• 75g water
• 110g egg whites
Procedure
1. Pass the almond meal and powdered sugar through a mesh strainer. Add first 110g of egg whites into the almond/sugar mixture without mixing them.
2. Boil water and granulated sugar to 118° (244°F). When the water and sugar reaches 110° (230°F) start whipping the 2nd 110g of egg whites in the stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
3. Pour the 118°C (244°F) sugar on the side of the mixer while mixing the egg whites so that it does not splatter. Continue mixing until the mixture cools down to 50°C (122°F). Fold almond mixture into the egg whites/sugar mixture.
4. In a small container mix about 2 tablespoons of mixture with 1/2 teaspoon gel food coloring (I used brown for the salted caramel macs and orange for the pumpkin macs), then fold into the rest of the macaron mixture.
5. Pipe on cookie sheets lined with Silpats. Firmly rap the cookie sheets against the counter twice. Let the piped shells stand uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake for 12 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets with a small offset spatula and let them cool completely on racks. Pipe the filling on the inside of one shell, and place another shell on top. Refrigerate macarons in an airtight container for 24-48 hours before serving. Makes about 75 macarons.

Whipped Pumpkin Ganache Filling (enough to fill 35 macarons)
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces white chocolate
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Procedure:
1. Melt chocolate over a water bath. Set aside.
2. Place cream, brown sugar, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice in a small saucepan until it just comes to a simmer.
3. Add the cream mixture to the chocolate and fold it in.Pour ganache in a shallow dish. Place plastic wrap directly on the ganache and refrigerate until thickened.
4. Refrigerate until cold. Place ganache in the bowl of a stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment whip the ganache until it turns fluffy and lighter in color. Pipe filling on macarons.

Salted Caramel Buttercream (enough to fill 35 macarons)
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces European style butter (demisel) at room temperature
• 16 ounces caramel
• ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt, crushed to a fine powder
Procedure:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixed, and using the whisk attachment, whip the butter until creamy. Slowly add in the caramel while still beating. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well incorporated. With a large spatula, fold in the salt.
2. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Pipe filling on macarons.

Lisa & Lora–Thanks for stopping by, love fall and pumpkin!
Olga–It’s funny, I used to not like pumpkin and in the past couple of years really became a fan of pumpkin baked goods. I didn’t get feet the first time I made macs either!
Laetitia–Thank you so much, really glad you liked them! :O)

I am totally in awe of these macarons! These are something I have not tried to make and don’t think that I will. I love to eat them, but I’m afraid that I would fall into the obsession category of trying to make them until they come out perfect.

Utterly charming and so full of flavour. I love them Cecilia. I made a batch using pumpkin spice, but did a dark chocolate ganache instead. Now wish I’s done what you did…beautiful! Thank you for joining us at MacTweets! I’ve fallen for your macs!

Oooh I’m just working my over here now and can now ogle these beauties in peace and calm. Such perfect macs and the pumpkin cream looks fabulously smooth and fluffy and delicious! Perfect paired with salted caramel. Both very autumny and I want one of each! Both perfect for our fall Mac Attack! Yay!

Hi! These macarons look amazing!! You did such a great job with the photography! This is going to be my first time making these beauties and I’m a little apprehensive but excited because you’ve detailed the recipe so well :) My only problem is that I live in MA and I’m not exactly sure how to convert the grams (in the base macaron recipe) into cups. I want to get the measurements perfect…

The whipped pumpkin filling is wonderful. Truly my favorite!
Question: Is the 16oz of caramel in the caramel filling recipe a typo? 6oz perhaps? I’m having a hard time with a whole lb. of caramel for 1 batch.

Hi Jeanne! I looked through my notes, that is exactly what I wrote down. You can always make half the amount: 4 ounces, butter, 8 ounces caramel, 1/4 powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and just a pinch of salt. You can play around with the proportions, it all depends on how firm you want your filling to be. Also, you could just use dulce de leche and add a bit of flaky sea salt to it.